1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention relate to graphics processing and, in particular, to a system and method for performing a perceptually guided capture and stylization of 3D human figures.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, capturing three-dimensional (3D) models of human figures has been a major effort the area of computer graphics and modeling. A variety of professional devices that capture 3D models of human figures include multiple-camera setups, infrared depth cameras, laser scanners, and the like. Such professional 3D capture devices typically enable an attached computer system to acquire high-resolution photometric and/or and geometric properties of human subjects. Unfortunately, these devices are often high in complexity and cost, which makes them generally unavailable to and/or usable by consumers.
In response to the foregoing deficiencies, several companies have developed consumer-level 3D capture devices that are significantly simpler in construction and relatively inexpensive to manufacture. One example of a consumer-level 3D capture device is Microsoft's® Kinect™ device, which outputs various information including an RGB image of a scene, a depth-map image of the scene, a kinematic skeleton of one or more individuals in the scene, and the like. In contrast to the professional 3D capture devices, the data output by the consumer-level 3D capturing devices generally is low in resolution. Typically, such low-resolution data can be processed to calculate and determine a variety of useful information, such as the movement of a user's arms, body and head, which can be used to, for example, control a character in a video game. Unfortunately, however, it remains difficult to construct usable 3D human models from such low-resolution data.
As the foregoing illustrates, there is a need in the art for an improved technique for capturing 3D models of humans using low-resolution 3D capturing devices.